1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method and apparatus for repairing a fiber optic line break.
2. Description of Related Art
Numerous techniques are available for splicing or repairing breaks in electrical cables. However, in the case of fiber optic cables, it has conventionally been necessary to replace rather than repair the line when a break occurs. This is because the accuracy required for a fiber optic splice connection is extremely high in comparison with the accuracy or tolerances required to effect an electrical connection and, therefore, achieving a satisfactory optical connection is much more difficult than achieving a satisfactory electrical connection.
Examples of previous fiber optic cable splicing or connection techniques are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,738,505, 4,812,008, 4,846,545, 4,953,941, and 4,964,690. None of the previous techniques, however, is completely suitable for repairing breaks under "field" conditions, in which the splice connection must be effected as rapidly as possible, with as few tools as possible, and yet still be permanent in nature and environmentally sealed. Such conditions are found, for example, on an aircraft carrier flight deck.
With the increasing use of fiber optic cables, there is a critical need for field installable fiber optic splice connections which may be made under a variety of conditions, and which nevertheless provide high integrity low loss connections that are essentially permanent in nature. An acceptable field installable splice connection must be durable, have a minimum insertion loss and use a minimum number of parts, and at the same time avoid the need for fusion splicing of the fibers or other complex joining techniques.